1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image forming apparatus such as printers, copiers, facsimiles, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known image forming apparatus such as printers comprising a paper feed tray that is attached to the apparatus body so as to be freely opened and closed with respect to the apparatus body and that, in use, is opened to a horizontal position for holding a stack of paper thereon (see, for example, Japanese laid-open patent publication Nos. 2002-347997, Hei 7-309454, Hei 8-198480, and 2003-118854). Such an apparatus is designed so that the paper feed tray is kept closed when the apparatus is not in use, and it is opened for holding paper sheets when the apparatus is used, thereby saving space.
However, the above described conventional image forming apparatus comprising the paper feed tray have the following problem. As shown in FIG. 8, when carrying such an apparatus 101, a user Y may insert his/her one hand H under a paper feed tray 102 to lift the apparatus 101. The paper feed tray 102 is held on the apparatus body 110 via, for example, pivot shafts 121 and bearings 122 while the apparatus 101 is not lifted, i.e., placed on a surface, as shown in FIG. 9A. However, when the user Y grasps the paper feed tray 102 and lifts up the apparatus 101 from the position as shown in FIG. 8, the load G of the apparatus 101 is exerted on the pivot shafts 121 of the paper feed tray 102. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 9B, a force acts on the paper feed tray 102 to bend inward the portions of the tray where the pivot shafts 121 are provided, which may cause the pivot shafts 121 to get off the bearings 122 and thus cause the paper feed tray 102 to be detached from the apparatus body 110.